15 Best Diet Tips Ever

15 Best Diet Tips Ever






Experts share their top tips for weight loss success.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature


Everyone knows the keys to losingweight: Eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple enough, but in thecontext of real life and its demands, it can be anything but simple. So how dosuccessful losers do it? To find out, WebMD asked experts across the countryfor their best diet tips. Here's what they said:
Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extracalories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, orbrew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but nocalories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American DieteticAssociation. Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.

Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruitsand vegetables each day. "It sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time youare meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the volume offood," says chef Laura Pansiero, RD.

You're also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displacefat in the diet. And that's not to mention the health benefits of fruits andvegetables. More than 200 studies have documented the disease-preventingqualities of phytochemicals found in produce, says Pansiero.

Her suggestion for getting more: Work vegetables into meals instead of justserving them as sides on a plate. "I love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto,pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches," Pansiero says. "It is so easy to buy avariety of vegetables and incorporate them into dishes." Best Diet Tip No. 3: Consider whether you're really hungry.

Whenever you feel like eating, look for physical signs of hunger, suggestsMichelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry?
"Hunger is your body's way of telling you that you need fuel, so when acraving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it," she says. When you're done eating, you should feel better -- not stuffed, bloated, ortired.

"Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so it takes just a handful offood to fill it comfortably," says May. Keeping your portions reasonable will help you get more in touch with yourfeelings of hunger and fullness. Best Diet Tip No. 4: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.

Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sitdown and relax.

"Sitting down with a bag of chips or cookies in front of the television isan example of eating amnesia, where you mindlessly eat without being hungry,but out of habit," says American Dietetic Association spokesperson MalenaPerdomo, RD.

Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself alow-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop oflow-fat ice cream. Once you find that you're usually satisfied with the low-calsnack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea, suggests Perdomo.







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Best Diet Tip No. 5: Enjoy your favorite foods.



"I think putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weightgain because it triggers 'rebound' overeating," says Sass.

Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper.Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy fromthe bulk bins instead of a whole bag.

"You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation," saysSass. Best Diet Tip No. 6: Enjoy your treats away from home.

When you need a treat, Ellie Krieger, RD, host of Food Network's HealthyAppetite, suggests taking a walk to your local ice cream parlor or planninga family outing.

"By making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about thetemptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and pleasurable wayto make it work when you are trying to loseweight," says Krieger.

And for those times you just can't get out? Krieger stocks her kitchen withfresh fruit, which she thinks can be every bit as delicious as any otherdessert. Best Diet Tip No. 7: Eat several mini-meals during the day.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But whenyou're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be challenging.
"Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able tocontrol their appetite and weight," says obesity researcher Rebecca Reeves, DrPH, RD.

She recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks andenjoying as many of them as you can early in the day -- dinner should be thelast time you eat. Best Diet Tip No. 8: Eat protein at every meal.

Protein is more satisfying than carbohydrates or fats, and thus may be thenew secret weapon in weight control. "Dietshigher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regularexercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss," says University ofIllinois protein researcher Donald Layman, PhD.

Getting enough protein helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burningwhile keeping you feeling full. So be sure to include healthy protein sources,like yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans, at meals and snacks. Best Diet Tip No. 9: Spice it up.

Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feelsatisfied. "Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be moresatisfying so you won't eat as much," says Perdomo.

When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy for along-lasting burst of sweetness with just a few calories.

Best Diet Tip No. 10: Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods.






Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes staples on hand sets you upfor success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or call in a pizzaorder if you can make a healthy meal in 5 or 10 minutes. Sass stocks her kitchen with:

• 94% fat-free microwave popcorn (20-25 calories per cup, and you can make itin two minutes or less)
  
• Frozen vegetables
  
• Bags of pre-washed greens
  
• Canned diced tomatoes
  
• Canned beans
  
• Whole-grain wraps or pitas
  
• Pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts
  
• A few containers of pre-cooked brown rice
  

Within minutes, she can toss together a healthy medley.

Best Diet Tip No. 11: Order children’s portions at restaurants.

"When you are eating out, order a child's pizza or a small sandwich as aneasy way to trim calories and get your portions under control," suggestPerdomo.

Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look likemore, and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too. Best Diet Tip No. 12: Eat foods in season.

"If you don't love certain fruits or vegetables, it could be because you atethem out of season when they have little taste or flavor," says Pensiero. "Whenyou eat seasonally, fruits and vegetables are more flavorful, at their best,and I promise you won't be disappointed."

At GiGi's Trattoria, her restaurant in Rhinebeck, N.Y., she serves simplefruit desserts, like naturally sweet strawberries topped with aged balsamicvinegar, or low-fat yogurt or fresh berries in a compote.

Best Diet Tip No. 13: Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.

Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose adress or pants size in a year.

"You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch onyour plate and increase the amount of vegetables," says Sass. Best Diet Tip No. 14: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.

Sooner or later, you're going to be faced with a stressful situation.Instead of turning to food for comfort, be prepared with some non-food tacticsthat work for you.

Sass suggests reading a few chapters in a novel, listening to music, writingin a journal, practicing meditative deep breathing, or looking at a photo albumof loved ones. Best Diet Tip No. 15: Be physically active.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, don't use exercise either to punishyourself for eating or to "earn" the right to eat more.

"When you do, it sets up a negative thought pattern, which is why so manypeople say they hate to exercise," says May. Instead, focus on how great you feel, how much better you sleepand how much more energy you have when you exercise. Physical activity is goodfor you whether you are trying to lose weight or not, so keep it positive andbuild a lifelong habit.






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